National Conference Flies Solo: Farooq Abdullah Declares No Alliance for Lok Sabha Polls
Farooq Abdullah was recently summoned by the ED in connection with an alleged cricket scam.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah announced on Thursday that his party would independently contest all seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at a press conference, NC leader Farooq Abdullah said, “As far as seat sharing is concerned, NC will contest alone and there’s no doubt about it”. The announcement incidentally came days after Farooq Abdullah was summoned by the ED in connection with an alleged cricket scam.
On being asked about the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said, “I think that elections in both states will be held with the parliamentary elections.”
The three-term former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir has been a staunch supporter of the INDIA bloc, regularly participating in all opposition alliance meetings.
However, Abdullah voiced concerns last month regarding the absence of consensus regarding seat-sharing arrangements within the India bloc. In an interview with senior advocate Kapil Sibal for Sibal’s YouTube channel, Abdullah emphasized the necessity of reaching an agreement swiftly, asserting, “To safeguard the nation, we must set aside our disagreements and prioritize the country’s welfare.”
Reacting to Farooq Abdullah’s statement that the National Conference will contest the elections alone, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said, “Talks are going on. Every party has their own limitations. National Conference and PDP have been a part of the INDIA bloc, and will continue to remain so.”
This is another blow to the INDIA bloc as AAP and Trinamool Congress already are unsteady in their commitment to the alliance. AAP said it will not form an alliance with the Congress in Punjab while Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee said TMC’s seat-sharing talks with the Congress were not going well.
